Process of making ammonia.



UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE;

CARL BOSCH AND ALWIN MITTASCH, 0F LUDWIG-SHAFENON-THE-RHINE, GERMANY,

ASSIGNORS TO BADISCHE ANILIN & SODA FABRIK, OF LUDWIGSHAFEN-ON-THE- RHINE, GERMANY, A CORPORATION.

PROCESS OF MAKING AMMONIA.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL Boson and ALWIN MITTASCH, subjects, respectively, of the King of Prussia and the King of Saxony, residing at Ludwigshafen-on-the- Rhine, Germany, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Process of MakingAmmonia, of which the following is a specification. r

We have-found that wecan obtain ammo nia in considerable quantity by passing a mixture of, or containing, nitrogen and hydrogen in contact with metallic molybdenum, or a suitable compound thereof, either directly, or after treatment before the introduction thereof into the contact tube, or furnace. For instance, a. molybdenum oxid, ora molybdenum chlorid, or an ammonium molybdate, or such a compound as a carbid, nitrid, amid, or hydrid, of molybdenum may be employed. It is probable that during the passing of the nitrogen and hydrogen over the molybdenum, or the compound of molybdenum, the molybdenum or compound thereof may undergo some change, for instance molybdenum oxid would, by the cur rent of nitrogen and hydrogen, or by any ammonia already formed in the gases, be reduced to metallic molybdenum, or to a nitrid thereof, or any metallic molybdenum employed may combine with more or less nitrogen and form a nitrid,or an amid, imid, or the like, ma be formed. I

If desire the molybdenum, or the co'mpound thereof, can be employed in conjunction with other catalytic agent or agents,

such'for instance as nickel, or in admixture with an indifferent substance, such for instance as carbon, or the molybdenum, or compound'thereef, can be precipitated on to any suitable carrier, such for instance'as quartz, chamotte, or meer schaum.

Suitable temperatures for carrying out the process of our invention lie betweenabout 300 and 900 0,. i

The following is air-example of how our invention can be carried into practical eifect,

but the invention is not confined to this example. Heat ammonium molybdate, or ammonium' phosphomolybdate, or molybdic acld, in a current of pure gaseous ammonia,

a dark red heat and then introduce into I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 18, 1913,

Application filed September 10, 1911. Serial No. 650,245. v

a contact tube the molybdenuln nitrogen compound thus produced and pass a current of .nitrogen and hydrogen, in combining proportions, through the tube at a tempera-- ture of five hundred, and fifty degrees centigrade and at a pressure of one hundred at mospheres. ,The ammonia, which is contained in the gases leaving the contact tube, may be separated therefrom in any suitable manner. In this example, if desired, the initial materials maybe introduced directly into the contact tube and any alteration of such initial material be allowed to take place in the said contact'tube.

Now what we claim is l. The process of producing ammonia by passing gases containing nitrogen and hydrogen over a catalyst containing moly denum and maintained at a temperature of.

4. The process of producing ammonia by assin ases containin nitro en and h drogen over a catalyst containing molyb-' denum and nickel under-pressure and at a temperature of between about 300 and,

-5.- The process of producing ammonia by passing gases containing nitrogen and hyrOgen over a catalyst containing molybdenum and nickel at a pressure above one hundred atmospheres and at a temperature of between about 300 and 900 C.

In testimony whereofwe have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL Boson. ,ALWIN MITTASCH. Witnesses: J. Anne. LLOYD JOSEPH HEIFFER. 

